WHEELS are in motion for construction of a skateboard park after a hard-fought campaign by teenagers.

WHEELS are in motion for construction of a skateboard park after a hard-fought campaign by teenagers.

Gwynedd Council is set to pledge an initial #30,000 toward the conversion of derelict tennis courtsin Parc Coed Helen into a fully equipped training park.

Construction of the skatepark, costing #80,000, could begin within three months and will be built in two sections.

Cofi skateboarders, who have lobbied the council for 18 months to get a park built, were this week jumping for joy.

Skateboarder Dewi Thomas, 14, of Caernarfon said: "It will keep skateboarders out of danger, they won't have to practise on the streets and pavements, they will have their own park."

Geraint Peters, also of Caernarfon, added: "We used to have to go to Llandudno to practise and we decided to ask our council and see what they could do in Caernarfon.

"We met Marianne Jackson and asked her if the council could build us a skateboard park where we could practise safely."

He added: "We went to about 10 meetings to persuade people, We've worked very hard to get it. We went to a meeting last Thursday with some of the councillors and they said yes to it."

Leisure director Marianne Jackson said: "A group of youngsters came to see me 18 months ago and have been asking for a skateboard park ever since. We have had regular meetings with them and they have been very sensible and responsible about this."

She added: "A company has drafted plans for a park which has been approved by the youngsters and we now have to get approval from planning and the council members."

She added: "It is possible that the park could be built by Christmas, but more realistically it will probably be ready around Easter."

Seiont councillor Tecwyn Thomas, who met the teenagers in Caernarfon last Thursday, said that he was impressed by the young pressuregroup.

He said: "We told them that if fewer than six of them turned up at the meeting then we couldn't build the park, 60 of them came I was amazed.

"We will be looking to get lottery money to fund safety equipment for them, and I am hoping to get a mini-bus service for youngsters to the park."

"We are often guilty of criticising our young people, but fair play to them these lads have shown great initiative and persistence in getting this off the ground."

He added: "It only shows that we as councillors can help our young people in the town."